10 things men should know about Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day. It seems innocent enough, right? A lovely Sunday in March, a time for family and celebrating our mums. What they don’t tell you, is that there’s actually a fair bit of pressure on dads and husbands everywhere to get it right. Throughout our #ItsAMumThing campaign, we’ve been talking to lots of mums, and here are some hints and tips we’ve picked up on that you may find useful…

1. No matter what your beliefs around the importance of Mother’s Day, ALL mums will want to be celebrated on Sunday 30 March. Even if they say “oh no, don’t make a fuss, I don’t really buy into the whole Mother’s Day thing”. They’re just saying that.

2. Buying a gift and a card is important, but it’s not the only thing you can do to make mum feel special. The whole day should be spent treating her like a queen – start with breakfast in bed and let the celebrations run throughout the day.

3. First Mother’s Days are a BIG deal. It’s a massive landmark in a woman’s life and it should be celebrated accordingly.

4. It goes without saying that, if your kids are too little to organise a present or card themselves, this falls to you. Choosing a gift that your little ones can get involved in is a nice idea to make them feel part of the day too. We like this hand and foot print kit.

5. If your other half is pregnant, but doesn’t yet have any children, celebrating Mother’s Day is a really nice gesture. Do something to make her feel special and get excited about the year ahead.

6. Most mums expect a gift from their children AND their other half on Mother’s Day (nope, we didn’t know that either). A gift from you will thank her for all she does for you and your children. This is a nice chance to spoil her and get her a gift that’s not child-centric.

7. Plan ahead: make sure you’ve got a gift/card/activities sorted prior to the day, don’t leave it until the last minute.

8. If your other half normally does all the cooking, THIS is the time to take on the kitchen. Alternatively, take her out for a family Sunday lunch.

9. Brief the kids: children of any age might forget that it’s Mother’s Day, and this is a big faux pas. If your children are really small, make sure they understand that it’s a special day for mum. If they’re a bit older, send them a text as a gentle reminder that Mother’s Day is coming up.

10. Don’t forget to celebrate YOUR mum; as a dad, Mother’s Day takes on a whole new meaning and the focus of the day will undoubtedly be your other half. Make sure that as you get older you’re still using this day as an excuse to spoil your mum and let her know how much she means to you.

You’ve all forgotten about the expectant ‘paper pregnant’ mums who are awaiting meeting their children or who are going through the adoption process and will have to wait till next year…It would be great to see something for expectant adoptive mums as well as pregnant ladies….We need to announce our amazing news too!